The joke book contains a collection of jokes, quotes, tales and quips from politicians and other famous people that Morris assembled during his career. He kept the jokes organized and indexed and often referred to them to use in his many talks and speeches. Morris was known in Washington for his wit and often used good natured humor to connect with others who did not always agree with him politically. After his colleagues urged him to write a book using his jokes, he wrote the semi-autobiographical Too Funny To Be President, published in 1988. The book borrows heavily from this collection of jokes and stories kept in his famous small notebooks. According to Morris, "Political humor leavens the public dialogue; it invigorates the body politic; it uplifts the spirit."